Pipe marking device



H. P. THROWER PIPE MARKING DEVICE sein. 23, 1952' 2 SHEETS --SHEET 1 Filed April 24, 1951 H. Fi Thrower %W His Afl'orneq Inventor- Sept. 23, 1952 'H. P. THROWER 2,611,183

PIPE MARKING DEVICE Filed April 24, 1951 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Q a N m b N q 1 N m v x v I \nvehi'or H.P. Throw er 1 Y 9'- Patented Sept. 23, 1952 Harold P. Thrower, Odessa, Tex., as'signor to, Shell Development Company, Emeryville, Califi, a

corporation of Delaware Application April 24, 1951, Serial No. 222,566

ZCIaims.

1 This invention relatesto pipe line equipment and pertains more particularly to an apparatus for marking a line around a pipe at any angle at which it is desired to subsequently cut the pipe.

During the installation of piping in industrial plants, such for example as oil refineries, oil fields and pipe lines, it is often necessary to cut pipe at various angles in order to fabricate pipe elbows of a desired angle. Since a pipe has a cylindrical surface, it is generally difiicult to mark and cut a pipe accurately at any angle other than normal to the axis of the pipe. Additionally, much time is lost and material wasted in recutting pipe which was inaccurately marked and cut.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pipe-marking apparatus of. simple and sturdy design adapted to be mounted on a pipe, said apparatus being provided with an instrument for tracing a line around the pipe at substantially any predetermined angle to the axis of said pipe.

Another object of this invention is to provide a' pipe marking apparatus adapted to encircle pipes ofvarying diameters for tracing a'line therearound, at any desired angle. I

These and other objects of this invention will be understood from the following description of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded isometric view, partly in cross section, of one embodiment of the present pipe-marking. apparatus.

Figure 2 is a view, partly in cross section, of a slightly modified embodiment of the present invention illustrated as being mounted on asection of pipe. I

Briefly, the present pipe-marking apparatus comprises a base member provided with means for clamping it to theoutside of a pipe. A ring member, having a carriage and scribing device mounted thereon, is hinged to the base member so that. saidring member may be tilted at any angle with regard to the base as the ring member encircles a pipe.

As shown in the exploded view in Figure 1, the pipe-marking apparatus comprises a ring memher or housing ring I I which is adapted to be secured in a hinged manner to a base'memberl2 which may be clamped to a pipe by any suitable pipe-clamping means. The base member I2 is fixedly secured to the center of a. length of spring steel I3 which has been pre-formed to a circular shape of a diameter less than that of the pipe on which the apparatus is to be mounted. Thus, a pair of spring-loaded arms I4 and I5 are formed,

one on either side of the base member I2, for gripping the outer surface of a pipe IGasshown in Figure 2. If desired, the ends of the arms I4 and I 5' may be provided with rubber friction tips I 1 and I8 in order that the apparatus may be mounted on the pipe more securely. It is realized that the clamping arms I4 and I5 may be springloaded in any other method known to the art. Also, any well known pipe-clamping means may be substitutedfor arms I4 and I5.

- Rigidly aflixed to the top of the body. member I2 by bolts I9 is a hinge plate 20 having'a pair of vertically-extending side plates 2| and 22 which are provided with. holes 23 and 24 near the top thereof which are adapted to receive therein a hinge 'pinor shaft 25. Swingingly mountable on *the hinge pin 25 is a wedge-shaped hinge member 26 having holes 21 and 28 through the upper portion thereof to'receive pin 25. One end 29 of the hinged wedge 26 is provided with a scale for indicating angular displacement of the wedge 26 about thepin' 25. One side-plate 22 is provided with an arcuate groove 30. The calibrated wedge 26 is provided also with a lock screw 54 adapted to slide in said groove 30 and'to be tightened against plate 22 for'anchoring the wedge 26 in a I pro-determined fixed position. The wedge 26 may be also equipped with bolt holes 3| adapted to 'receive bolts (not shown) for bolting the wedge 26 flush with the back of the ring member II, as shown inFigure 2. 'In Figure 2 a slightly different type of hinge 32 is shown which is positioned at the top of the wedge 26 and fixedly secured, as by welding, to the top 33 of the ring member II and to the side plates 2| and 22.

The ring member II is of split construction forming two semi-circular portions 34 and 35 which are secured together at one end by a hinge 3 6 and preferably at the other end by suitable latch means, such as a friction latch 31. If desired, the adjoining faces of the two ring portions 34 and 35 may be beveled, as at 38. The closed ring member II has an inside diameter greater than the outside diameter of the pipe I6 (Figure 2) whereby the ring member may be tilted at varying angles or installed on pipes of varying diameters. The entire ring member I I is equipped with an annular track 39 which-is cut or formed on one surface thereof.

Preferably, the ring membenll is of hollow construction with the track 39 being in the/form of an annular slot through one side wall of the ring member I I in communication with aninner annular slot 40 within the ring member II, the two slots being arranged at right angles to each -ure 2.

"ring member H may mined by the marking device 41 being employed.-

While the marking device 41 may consist of any suitable stylus, pen, pencil, or the like, in the embodiment of Figure 1 the marking device comprises a barrel 48 in which a sharp-pointed marking pin 49 is mounted so as to extend therefrom toward the center of the annular ring member. 7

One end of the pin 49 is pointed while the other end is enlarged or has a head 50 attached thereto against which a spring 5! may act. The spring 5| is locked in the barrel 43 in any suitable manner, as by a screw-threaded cap 52.

To mount thepresent marking apparatus on a pipe, the friction latch 37 of the ring member H is unlatched and the hinged portions 34 and 35 of the ring member H are opened and placed around the pipe [6. Elements 34 and 35 are then closed again to the position shown in Figure 1; At the same time the=spring-loaded clamping arms 14 and i5 areforc'ed open and then allowed to spring to a closed position around and against the pipe after the base member 12 has been positioned on the top of the pipe l6 as shown in Fig- Since the inside diameter of the ring member II is substantially larger than the outside diameter of they pipe 16 to be marked, the be tilted about its hinge 32 (Figure 2) to the predetermined angle at which the pipe I 6 is to bemarked and cut.

The angle at which the-ring member H is set is measured onthe scale 29., When the ring member is at the'proper angle, lock screw54- is tightened to anchor the ring member II, at that fixed angle. With the apparatus positioned at the desired angle the wheeled carriage and guide bar 4|, 42 and 45 together with the marking pin 49 are manually moved around the circular track 39 and annular opening 40 of the ring member. As the spring-loaded marking pin' is drawn around the pipe 16, it is forced from the barrel 48 by the spring 51 to maintain contact with-the surface of the pipe at 'all' times, thereby tracing a line on the pipe along which it is to be out. Preferably, the marking. pin is mounted on the movable carriage so that it points at all times to the axis of the pipe 16.

After the pipe I6 has been marked for cutting, the present pipe-marking apparatus is removed by opening latch 31 and the ring member H, while at the same time opening the clamping arms [4 and l5.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pipe-marking apparatus adapted to be removably secured on a pipe for tracing a line around the pipe at a predetermined angle, said apparatus comprising a base member adapted to be seated on said pipe, spring-loaded clamp means affixed to said base member for securing said base member to said pipe, a hollow hinged split ring member having an annular bore therein, said ring member being of a size suflicient to encircle said pipe, hinge means securing a portion of one side of said ring member to said base member in tiltable relationship therewith, said hollow ring member having a circular guide slot in aside wall thereof, said slot being in communication with the bore within said ring member, wheeled carriage means of a length less than the radius of said ring member carried within said ring member and movable therearound in the bore and guide slot thereof, marking means afiixed to said carriage means and movable therewith, said marking means extending towards the center of said ring member to contact the pipe encircled thereby.

2. A pipe-marking apparatus adapted to be removably secured on a pipe for tracing a line around the pipe at a predetermined angle, said apparatus comprising a base member adapted to be seated on said pipe, spring-loaded clamp means aflixed to said base member for securing said base member topsaid pipe, a hollow hinged split ring member having an annular bore therein, said ring member being of a size sufficient to encircle said pipe, hinge means securing a portion of one side of said ring member to said base member in tiltable relationship therewith, said hollow ring member having a circumferential guide slot in communication with the bore of said ring member through a side wall thereof, a short twowheeled carriage carried within said ring member and movable therearound in the bore thereof, bar means affixed to one side of said wheeled carriage and extending through the guide slot in said ring member, marking means affixed to said bar means and movable therewith, said marking means comprising a tubular holder open at one end, a pointed stylus carried within said holder and extending through the open end thereof, and spring means within said holder for urging the stylustherefrom, whereby the pointed end of the stylus extends towards the center of said ring member to contact the pipe encircled thereby.

. HAROLD P. THROWER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,000,399 Gessert et al Aug. 15, 1911 1,692,925 Brown Nov. 27, 1928 1,698,154 Day Jan. 8, 1929 1,775,667 Bucknam Sept. 16, 1930 1,832,255 Springstead Nov. 1'7, 1931 2,086,764 Brown July 13, 1937 2,108,743 Brady Feb. 15, 1938 2,459,823 Lebedeff Jan. 25, 1949 2,509,698 Rudisell May 30, 1950 2,567,049 Belluche Sept. 4, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 738,404 France Oct. 17, 1932 

